Friday 8/23/2013

Well, this week has proven that the blog is still a work in progress.  While the classes went well, I only remembered to take pictures of the 4th grade class.  I'm sure it will all come together soon, but there are less pictures this week.

1st and 2nd Grade

We made God's Eyes this week.  It was so much fun watching each child's creativity come out.  Some preferred a simple look, while others were more elaborate.  I thought they all did a great job.  Those who finished early (not everyone did) got to make a sheep picture with real wool.  Those pictures went home with them, so look for them in their backpacks.

3rd and 4th Grade

This week we learned about wool, some of it's properties and how it is prepared before it is used.  The children got to touch lanolin, raw wool and washed wool.  Then each child got to try hand carders and a drum carder. 

Wool can be prepared by carding or combing.  I told the kids that I would post a picture of what wool combs look like, please share the picture below with them.
 

Some of them really enjoyed carding the fiber and asked where you can buy them.  Here is a link to the carders I bought for the class, I bought 90 TPI and the student size.  Everyone also got to make a sheep picture to take home along with the wool they carded. 

I have to say that I was so happy to see the enthusiasm that the kids had for what we were learning.  I mean, I think that working with wool and learning how it is processed is really cool, but there was a little part of me that worried the kids wouldn't think it was as fun and interesting as I did.  I was happily proven wrong, everyone was really interested in the lesson and it went really well.  I'm crossing my fingers for that to continue.